Riverside Transit Agency

The Riverside Transit Agency (RTA) is the main transit agency for western Riverside County, California, United States. RTA provides both local and regional services throughout the region with 39 fixed-routes (including RapidLink Gold Line), 9 CommuterLink routes, and Dial-A-Ride services using a fleet of 339 vehicles. In the cities of Corona, Beaumont and Banning, RTA coordinates regional services with municipal transit systems. In Riverside, RTA coordinates with the city's Riverside Special Services, which provides ADA complementary service to RTA's fixed-route services.[8]

Riverside Transit Agency
Founded1975[1]
Headquarters1825 Third Street
Riverside, CA 92517-1968[2]
Service areaWestern Riverside County, California, United States[1]
Service typeBus service, paratransit
Routes48[3]
Fleet339[4]
Daily ridership19,100 (weekdays, Q4 2023)[5]
Annual ridership5,584,200 (2023)[6]
Fuel typeCompressed natural gas[7]
Websiteriversidetransit.com

RTA was established as a joint powers agency on August 15, 1975, and began operating bus service on March 16, 1977.

In 2023, the system had a ridership of 5,584,200, or about 19,100 per weekday as of the fourth quarter of 2023.

Governance edit

RTA is governed by a board of directors composed of 22 elected officials from 18 cities in western Riverside County and four members of the County Board of Supervisors.

The member jurisdictions include the cities of Banning, Beaumont, Canyon Lake, Corona, Eastvale, Hemet, Jurupa Valley, Lake Elsinore, Moreno Valley, Menifee, Murrieta, Norco, Perris, Riverside, San Jacinto, Temecula, Wildomar and the unincorporated areas of Riverside County Supervisorial Districts I, II, III and V.[9]

Services edit

Rates edit

As of 8-30-2023:[10]

Local and RapidLink Route Fares
Fare Categories Base Fares 24-Hour Pass 7-Day Pass 30-Day Pass
General $1.75 $5 $20 $60
Youth (grades 1-12) $45
Senior/Disabled/Veteran/Medicare $0.75 $2.50 $30
Child (46" tall or under, up to 3) $0.25
CommuterLink Fares
Fare Categories Base Fares
General $1.75
Youth (grades 1-12)
Senior/Disabled/Veteran/Medicare $0.75
Child (46" tall or under, up to 3) $0.25
CommuterLink + Local + RapidLink Fares
Fare Categories 24-Hour Pass 30-Day Pass
General $10 $95
Youth (grades 1-12)
Senior/Disabled/Veteran/Medicare $7 $70
Child (46" tall or under, up to 3)
Dial-A-Ride
Fare categories Base fares Ticket books
Senior / disabled $3.50 $35
Medicare Card Holder
Child (46" tall or under, up to 3) $0.75 N/A
  • Through 8-30-2023.

College passes edit

In September 2006, RTA partnered with the University of California, Riverside (UCR) to provide their students with an all-access bus pass. UC Riverside students get free rides on all fixed-route and CommuterLink buses by swiping their valid university identification cards through any RTA bus farebox when they board. The program, called U-Pass, is designed to help ease traffic congestion around campus, reduce parking problems and encourage ride-sharing. Additionally, RTA operates a trolley service called the Crest Cruiser that is free to UCR students and travels around the university to off-campus housing and retail outlets. Students of La Sierra University have also benefited from U-Pass since January 2009, and California Baptist University joined the program in August 2009.

As of August 21, 2008, RTA has also partnered with Riverside Community College District (RCCD) to provide the same free transit services to students at the Riverside City and Moreno Valley college campuses. (The Norco campus failed to pass an initiative to fund the program, and currently only students at Riverside and Moreno Valley are eligible.)[11] The program, called Go Pass, requires that students swipe their valid RCCD ID cards through the bus farebox when boarding. As of August 2014, the Go-Pass has logged more than 4.5 million RCCD student rides.

In August 2010, RTA expanded the reach of its Go-Pass program by partnering with the Mt. San Jacinto College District. Students at the Banning, Menifee and San Jacinto campuses who pay their student fees are allowed unlimited rides on all fixed-route and CommuterLink buses with the swipe of their ID card.

Fare subsidies edit

City of Riverside employees ride free under the CityPass program,[12] which was initiated in the summer of 2007.

Under an agreement with the Riverside County Courts, anyone serving as a juror at the Riverside, Banning and Murrieta Courthouses is entitled to free travel on any RTA bus.

The City of Riverside, using funding from the South Coast Air Quality Management District, began offering discounted bus passes to all residents of the city in December 2009. This program, called Riverside Go Transit, provides a 30% discount on monthly passes.[13]

Any person who meets RTA active duty military, police or fire personnel requirements rides free on RTA fixed-route buses. Active duty military personnel must wear the appropriate uniform at the time of boarding or present to the driver a valid U.S. Uniformed Services ID card indicating active service or a Common Access card indicating uniformed services or active duty. Police and fire personnel must be in full uniform at the time of boarding. Customers must wear the appropriate uniform or show appropriate ID each time they board a bus to receive the discounted fare.[14]

Transit centers edit

RTA maintains several transit centers throughout their service area. Riverside is served by the Riverside - Downtown Metrolink station which also serves as a major transfer hub.

The Downtown Perris station, located between 1st and 2nd Streets, east of C Street in Perris, opened on January 10, 2010, with six bus bays and a park and ride lot. The center is also a station for weekend excursion trains from the Orange Empire Railway Museum, and is a station on Metrolink's 91/Perris Valley Line.

The Corona Transit Center opened in September 2010, adjacent to the North Main Corona Metrolink station. The center has 8 bus bays, additional park-and-ride parking and a direct connection to the Metrolink station and its associated parking garage via a pedestrian bridge.

Major transfer points are also located at several shopping centers throughout the area such as The Galleria at Tyler, the Moreno Valley Mall, the Hemet Valley Mall, the Outlets at Lake Elsinore, and Temecula's Promenade Mall.

Routes edit

Local Route edit

Route Terminals Via Notes
1 Riverside

UC Riverside (at Bannockburn)

Corona

Smith Av & 6th St

Magnolia Av
3 Corona

Corona Transit Center

Eastvale

Amazon Eastvale

Main St, Hammer Av
8 Lake Elsinore

Outlet at Lake Elsinore

Mission Trail Clockwise
Grand Av Counter-clockwise
9 Perris

Perris–Downtown station

Lake Elsinore

Outlet at Lake Elsinore

Central Av
10 Riverside

Galleria at Tyler

Riverside

Big Springs Rd & Watkins Dr

Lincoln Av
11 Moreno Valley

Moreno Valley Mall

Ironwood Av Clockwise
Frederick St Counter-clockwise
12 Riverside

La Cadena Dr & Interchange St

Corona

Promenade Av & McKinley St

California Av, Main St
13 Riverside

Galleria at Tyler

Riverside

Riverside–Hunter Park / UCR Station

Arlington Av
14 Riverside

Galleria at Tyler

Loma Linda(Benton St & Prospect Av) Indiana Av, Washington St
15 Riverside

Galleria at Tyler

Riverside

Riverside-Downtown Station

Arlington Av
16 Riverside

UC Riverside

Moreno Valley

Moreno Valley Mall

Canyon Crest Dr, Box Springs Rd
18

(Loop)

Moreno Valley

Moreno Valley Mall

Sunnymead Ranch Pkwy
19 Perris

Perris–Downtown station

Moreno Valley

Moreno Valley Mall

Perris Bl
20 Riverside

Magnolia Av & Elizabeth St

Moreno Valley

Iris Av & Lasselle St

Alessandro Bl
21 Riverside

Galleria at Tyler

Jurupa Valley

Jurupa Valley / Pedley Station

Van Buren Bl
22 Perris

Perris Station Transit Center

Downtown Riverside

University Av & Market St

Alessandro Bl, Old Elsinore Rd
23 Temecula

Promenade Temecula

Wildomar

Palomar St & Wildomar Trail

Murrieta Hot Springs Rd
24 Temecula

Promenade Temecula

Temecula

Temecula Pkwy & County Glen way

Pechanga pkwy
27 Riverside

Galleria at Tyler

Perris

Perris–Downtown station

I-215, Van Buren Av
28 Valle Vista

Florida Av & New Chicago Av

Perris

Perris–Downtown station

I-215, Florida Av
29 Riverside

Riverside-Downtown Station

Eastvale

Amazon Eastvale

Limonite Av
30

(Loop)

Perris

Perris–Downtown station

Redlands Av
31 San Jacinto

Mt. San Jacinto College

Moreno Valley

Moreno Valley Mall

I-10, SR 60
41 Mead Valley

Rider St & Lee Rd

Moreno Valley

Riverside University Medical Center

Ramona Expwy
44 Hemet

Hemet Valley Mall

State St, San Jacinto Av Clockwise
San Jacinto

Mt. San Jacinto College

Counter-clockwise
49 Riverside

Riverside-Downtown Station

Fontana

Banana Av & Cherry Av

Mission Bl
51 Riverside

Iowa Av & University Village

Canyon Crest Dr Clockwise
55 Temecula Village

Rd & Harveston Way

Harveston Dr Clockwise, Free Service
56

(Loop)

Riverside

Riverside–Hunter Park / UCR Station

Iowa Av
61 Temecula

Promenade Temecula

Perris

Perris–Downtown station

Newport Rd
74 Hemet

Hemet Valley Mall

Menifee

Cherry Hills Bl & Bradley Rd

Newport Rd
79 Hemet

Hemet Valley Mall

Temecula

Promenade Temecula

Winchester Rd
200 San Bernardino

San Bernardino Transit Center

Anaheim

Disneyland

SR 91, I-215 CommuterLink
204 Montclair

Montclair Transcenter

Riverside

UC Riverside (at Bannockburn)

I-10, SR 60 CommuterLink
206 Corona

Corona Transit Center

Temecula

Promenade Temecula

I-15 CommuterLink

RTA's service consists of 39 local fixed routes and nine CommuterLink Express routes. The fixed-route service includes tourist trolleys (stylized rubber-tired buses, not to be confused with actual trolleys). The agency also provides dial-a-ride service in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act.[15]

In 2003, RTA launched CommuterLink, its first bus service designed to serve Riverside County's growing number of commuters. The specially designed express buses have limited stop service to major transit centers and Metrolink stations in Riverside county. In 2005, RTA debuted free Wi-Fi Internet service aboard its Temecula-Riverside CommuterLink Route 202, making the agency among the first in Southern California to offer such amenities aboard public buses. By the end of 2016, Wi-fi was offered on all of the agency's fixed-route buses.[16]

On Monday, August 28, 2017, RTA launched the RapidLink Gold Line. The limited stop route runs between Corona and UC Riverside along Magnolia and University avenues. Operating Monday - Friday from 6:30 - 8:30 a.m. and 1:30 - 5:30 p.m, buses depart every 15 minutes. The Gold Line provides service that's up to 30 percent faster[17] than other buses along the same corridor. Newly branded RapidLink Gillig BRT Plus buses along the route carry up to 38 seated customers and 17 standees and continue RTA's tradition of clean-burning fuel, and include features like free Wi-Fi and USB charging ports.

Local college students ride free with the U-Pass program.[18]

Bus fleet edit

Active fleet edit

Make/Model Fleet Numbers Thumbnail Year Engine Transmission Notes
Ford 01-05 2017-2018 Ford Triton V10 6-Speed Automatic with Overdrive
Hometown Manufacturing Villager
Ford F-550 21801-21807,

21897-21899

2018
Glaval Entourage CNG
Ford F-550 21901-21927 2019
Glaval Entourage CNG
Ford F-550 22001-22033 2019 Ford Triton V10 CNG 6-Speed Automatic with Overdrive
Starcraft Allstar XL CNG
Gillig BRTPlus CNG 40 31301-31397
 
2013-2014 Cummins Westport ISL G Allison B400R 31382-31397 are in the CommunterLink livery.
Gillig BRTPlus CNG 40 31401-31411 2014 Cummins Westport ISL G Allison B400R 31401-31405 are in the CommunterLink livery
Gillig BRTPlus CNG 40 31601-31614 2016 Cummins Westport ISL G NZ Allison B400R
Gillig BRTPlus CNG 40 31621-31643 2016 Cummins Westport ISL G NZ Allison B400R 31621-31626 are in the CommunterLink livery.

31628-31643 are in the RapidLink livery

Gillig BRTPlus CNG 40 32301-32335 2023 Cummins Westport L9N Allison B3400 xFE

RTA's 40-foot and CommuterLink buses are powered entirely by compressed natural gas, with the agency's conversion to the fuel completed in 2001. They also operate CNG fueling stations at their Riverside and Hemet maintenance facilities that help fuel not only transit vehicles, but the alternative-fuel fleet of various government agencies.[19]

In 2013, RTA began the process of replacing their old NABI 40 LFW fleet with newer 42-foot, Gillig Low Floor BRT Suburban buses. The traditional red, white and blue colors of RTA were updated to feature solid blue on the top portion of the bus, with a ribbon of blue and red around the bus's sides and rear. The modern buses also have a more spacious interior, padded and contoured seats, colored headsigns, USB charging ports for customers' mobile phones and tablets, and a design that allows for quicker wheelchair fastening and overall faster customer boarding.

Financials edit

RTA is largely funded by passenger fares, Local Transportation Funds (LTF), Federal Transit Administration (FTA), State Transit Assistance (STA), Riverside County Measure A, and Transportation Uniform Mitigation Fees (TUMF).[citation needed]

Transportation NOW edit

In 1992, RTA's board of directors created 'Transportation NOW' to promote the discussion of public transportation alternatives. Since then, the program has grown to include six chapters: Greater Riverside, Hemet San Jacinto area, Moreno Valley/Perris, Northwest, San Gorgonio Pass area, and Southwest. Each chapter meets monthly to discuss current issues surrounding public transit and ways to promote its usage and lobby for improvements.[20]

References edit

  1. ^ a b "Riverside Transit Agency, Riverside, CA". Archived from the original on 2010-05-21. Retrieved 2010-05-31.
  2. ^ "Riverside Transit Agency, Riverside, CA". Archived from the original on 2010-05-26. Retrieved 2010-06-01.
  3. ^ "2019 Annual Report" (PDF).
  4. ^ "2019 Annual Report" (PDF).
  5. ^ "Transit Ridership Report Fourth Quarter 2023" (PDF). American Public Transportation Association. March 4, 2024. Retrieved March 14, 2024.
  6. ^ "Transit Ridership Report Fourth Quarter 2023" (PDF). American Public Transportation Association. March 4, 2024. Retrieved March 14, 2024.
  7. ^ "Riverside Transit Agency, Riverside, CA". Archived from the original on 2010-06-07. Retrieved 2010-05-31.
  8. ^ "2019 Annual Report" (PDF). Retrieved 30 December 2019.
  9. ^ "About RTA". Archived from the original on 2014-09-11. Retrieved 2014-09-10.
  10. ^ "Pass Fares & Types - Riverside Transit Agency". www.riversidetransit.com. Retrieved 2019-12-31.
  11. ^ "Go Pass is a no pass at Norco - Opinions - Viewpoints Online - Riverside City College". Archived from the original on 2011-07-28. Retrieved 2010-10-12.
  12. ^ [1][dead link]
  13. ^ "City of Riverside, California". Riversidegotransit.com. Retrieved 15 October 2017.
  14. ^ "Fares & Passes". Archived from the original on 2014-09-11. Retrieved 2014-09-10.
  15. ^ "Dial-A-Ride Service Guide". Archived from the original on 2014-09-11. Retrieved 2014-09-10.
  16. ^ "CommuterLink website". Riversidetransit.com. Archived from the original on 11 September 2014. Retrieved 15 October 2017.
  17. ^ "CA: RTA to Kick Off New RapidLink Express Service". www.MassTransitMag.com. 22 August 2017. Retrieved 2019-12-30.
  18. ^ https://www.riversidetransit.com/index.php/go-pass-u-pass-program
  19. ^ [2][dead link]
  20. ^ "Riverside Transit Agency, Riverside, CA". Archived from the original on 2007-05-10. Retrieved 2007-05-23.

External links edit